Marian

van Oorschot
www.fractal-yoga.com

A restorative evening sequence

This gentle sequence will ease your body and soothe your mind at the end of a
busy day. Take time initially to establish peaceful diaphragmatic breathing, with
the attention on a naturally extended exhalation and a smooth transition from
exhalation to inhalation (and vice versa). Maintain a flowing, unhurried rhythm
of breath and movement throughout your practice. The sequence should be
accessible to most people, but take care if you have problems with wrists, knees
or hips. Have blankets, yoga blocks and bolsters to hand, and adapt any of the
practices to suit your body and needs as required.

Apanasana. Bring
one knee to the
chest, then the
other; then both.

Jathara parivritti
(revolving
stomach pose)
several times to
each side.

Sucirandhrasana
(eye of the
needle pose) to
open the hips.
Practise on both
sides.

Anahatasana
(melting
heart pose).

Kneel in
vajrasana
(diamond pose).

From vajrasana,
kneel up and
extend your left
leg out to the
side. Exhale into
parighasana
(gate pose) with
right arm raised.

Threading-the-
needle pose to
release your
right shoulder.
Return to
vajrasana and
repeat
parighasana and
threading-theneedle on the
other side.

Adho mukha
svanasana
(downwardfacing dog).

Begin in viparita
karani, legs against
the wall, with your
back supported by
a bolster or folded
blanket. Take time
to settle your
breath, body and
mind.

Marjariasana/
bitalasana (cat/
cow) sequence,
fully mobilizing the
whole length of
your spine with
each breath. Do a
number of times.

Marian van Oorschot

www.fractal-yoga.com

Slide left leg

forward and settle
into supta
kapotasana
(sleeping pigeon
pose). Stay here for
several breaths.

Ease into
marjaryasana.
Return to adho
mukha svanasana
and practise
supta kapotasana
on the other side.

Adho mukha
svanasana, then
step forward
with left leg and
inhale into
anjaneyasana
(lunge/crescent
moon pose).

Bring hands to
floor on either
side of front foot.

Eka pada
rajakapotasana (onelegged
pigeon pose)
variation.

Back to adho
mukha svanasana
and repeat
anjaneyasana and
eka pada
rajakapotasana on
the other side.

Uttanasana
(standing
forward bend)
with soft knees.

Tadasana
(mountain pose)

Trikonasana
(triangle pose).
Practise both
sides.

Return to tadasana
and then sit in
dandasana (staff
pose).

Pascimottanasana
(seated forward
bend). To soften
the pose, bend
knees or support
your head on a
bolster or blocks.

Bharadvajasana
(Bharadvajas
twist). Practise
on both sides,
maintaining
length through
the spine.

Vrksasana
(tree pose).
Practise both
sides, with
hands in
anjali mudra
at heart
centre if
preferred.

Supta baddha
Apanasana
konasana
(knees to
(reclining bound
chest). Rock
angle pose). Rest gently from
back on folded
side to side.
blankets, blocks,
cushions or a
bolster.

Conclude your practice with nadi shodana (alternate nostril breathing) or anuloma ujjayi (inhale
with ujjayi through both nostrils, exhale through alternate nostrils with quiet breathing), in a
seated asana of your choice. Then rest in savasana (or you may want to go directly to bed ).
Sleep well!